1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of producing a press-connecting joint connector and a method of press-connecting wires, and more particularly to a method of producing a press-connecting joint connector for electrically connecting a plurality of wires or electric devices together and a method of press-connecting such wires. Additionally, the invention relates to the press-connecting joint connector itself.
2. Related art
A conventional press-connecting joint connector for electrically connecting a plurality of wires or electric devices together is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. 1-137091 and illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. As shown in FIG. 9, in this press-connecting joint connector 10, a plurality of connection sections 14 are formed in a housing 12, and a press-connecting terminal 16 is mounted in each of the connection sections 14.
As shown in FIG. 10, for producing the press-connecting joint connectors 10, the housings 12 are first molded by a continuous molding apparatus 18. At this time, the housings 12 are molded integrally with one another into a band-like configuration, and are interconnected or linked by connective portions 20 (see FIG. 9). Then, the press-connecting terminals 16 are inserted respectively into the connection sections 14 in the housing 12 by a press-connecting terminal insertion apparatus 22, thereby producing the press-connecting joint connector 10. Thereafter, the press-connecting joint connectors 10 linked by the connective portions 20 wound around reel 24.
Subsequently, a chain of press-connecting joint connectors taken up by the reel 24 is transferred to a wire press-connecting step, whereupon wires are press-fitted into the press-connecting terminals 16, respectively. As a result, a sheath of each wire is cut by a press-connecting blade of the associated press-connecting terminal 16 such that a conductor of the wire contacts the press-connecting terminal 16, so that the wires are electrically interconnected. Finally, the connective portions 20 are severed to thereby separate the press-connecting joint connectors 10 from one another.
However, in the production of the conventional press-connecting joint connector 10, there is required the step of inserting the press-connecting terminals 16 respectively into the plurality of connection sections 14 in the housing 12, and this step increases the production time, which leads to an increase in cost.
Additionally, since the housings 12 of the press-connecting joint connectors 10 are molded integrally with one another into a band-like configuration, a housing-forming mold is large in size, and complicated, which also leads to an increase in cost.
Furthermore, the connective portions 20 formed integrally with the housings 12, are made of a resin, and therefore can be easily cut. Therefore, when feeding the housing 12 or the press-connecting joint connector 10, this feeding operation can not be effected properly, so that the connective portion 20 is ruptured.